CEMETERY REGULATIONS

WEDMORE PARISH COUNCIL

R E G U L A T I O N S

IN RESPECT OF THE

CEMETERY at CHEDDAR ROAD

WEDMORE - SOMERSET

1st April 2010

(amended 1st June 2018)

Regulations in respect of the Cemetery at Cheddar Road, Wedmore, Somerset, made by the Parish Council of Wedmore, pursuant to the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1974, for the management of the Cemetery provided by the Parish Council of Wedmore.

REGULATIONS

1. The ground is divided into consecrated and unconsecrated portions.

2. The Burial Authority is the Parish Council of Wedmore.

The word “Parishioner” used in the Table of Fees means a person who, at the time of death was an inhabitant of the Civil Parish of Wedmore or had been an inhabitant prior to transferring to care or, in the case of a stillborn child, where either or both parents are or were such inhabitants. The word “Non-Parishioner” includes every person who is not a “Parishioner” as before defined.

On the occurrence of a death, application is to be made to the Clerk to the Burial Authority for the prescribed form of notice, which must be filled up and returned together with the fees payable within at least two days before the interment, exclusive of Sundays. Interment at less notice shall, however, be permitted if certified by a Medical Practitioner to be necessary, or may under other exceptional circumstances be authorised.

On the grant of exclusive rights of burial for a period of 100 years in a grave space purchased for future burials and where no immediate interment takes place, the Grantee shall be entitled to and shall receive a formal stamped grant signed by the Clerk to the Burial Authority in respect of same. No grant of burial right is transferable without the consent of the Burial Authority. Possession of a grant shall at the discretion of the Burial Authority be deemed to be evidence of ownership. The written consent of the owner or his or her personal representative must be lodged with the Clerk to the Burial Authority when it is desired to inter in the grave the body of a person other than the owner of the grave.

All rights of burial shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Burial Authority in force at the time of burial or any which may be issued by any other competent authority in regard to burial grounds.

The fees and payments are to be in accordance with the table herewith annexed and must be paid on giving notice of interment or before the work is begun in respect of which they are payable. Any fees payable to the officiating Minister, will for convenience be received by the Clerk to the Burial Authority on his behalf.

The selection of the space for interment in all cases shall be subject to the approval of the Burial Authority. Grave space will be used in strict rotation and the only space, which may be reserved by any person, is the plot next in rotation to the grave of a relative.

No burial shall take place before 10am or after 4pm between 1st April and 30th September, or before 10am or after 3pm between 1st October and 31st March without special permission. No burial shall take place on a Sunday unless allowed by the Burial Authority by reason of special circumstances.

Graves shall be 5 feet deep for a single burial, 6 feet 6 inches for a double burial and 8 feet for a triple burial.

When more than one body is to be interred in a grave purchased for the use of a family, a layer of earth not less than 6 inches in depth shall be left between each coffin.

No coffin shall be buried in any grave in such a manner that any part of such coffin shall come within 3 feet 6 inches of the ordinary level of the ground, and no grave shall be more than 10 feet in depth from the surface.

All graves are to be dug and excavated at the responsibility of the Undertaker and to the satisfaction of the Clerk to the Burial Authority. Space between rows to be 9 feet 6 inches.

Whenever a burial has taken place. The grave shall forthwith be filled with earth, and due course levelled, the surface re-turfed and surplus earth removed. This work must be completed within twelve months of the burial.

The burial of cremated remains where no grave exists shall be in the portion of the cemetery set aside for this purpose, in a grave 12 inches by 12 inches the depth to be not less than 2 feet below the ground level. Application for such burial to be made to the Clerk to the Burial Authority in the manner prescribed in Regulation 4. The grave shall be dug immediately below the numbered stone of the space allocated by the Clerk, and centred on that stone. Cremated remains may not be scattered in any part of the cemetery.

All materials, gravestones and crosses must be carried into the burial ground by hand or conveyed on handcarts or trucks having rubber tyres.

An ink drawing to scale of every headstone or cross giving the register number of the grave space, together with a short specification of materials to be used and a copy of every proposed inscription, shall be submitted to the Burial Authority for approval and the appropriate fees paid before the execution of any work. Materials to be used are restricted to stone, marble or wood. The grave space number shall be placed on every headstone or cross in 1 inch incised figures at least 6 inches above level of the ground. No headstone to be erected within 6 months of burial. All headstones must be kept in line.

Headstones or crosses only will be permitted and these must not exceed 3 feet 6 inches in height, the maximum thickness of the stone not exceeding one foot from front to back. No kerbstones will be permitted.

In that portion of the cemetery set aside for the burial of cremated remains memorials may only be in the form of a flat stone let into and level with the ground and measuring 12 inches by 12 inches. An ink drawing to scale of the stone memorial showing the inscription proposed, and giving the register number of the grave space, shall be submitted to the Burial Authority for approval before any order is given to a monumental mason. If desired, flower vases can be cemented on to the block above the memorial stone provided the size of the base is less than 6 inches by 6 inches. Glass vases should not be used, as if broken they constitute a danger and the Burial Authority reserves the right to remove them.

Nothing of the foregoing shall prevent the burial of cremated remains in any existing grave with the consent of the relative concerned, the depth to be not less than 2 feet below the ground level of the said grave. Application for such burial to be made to the Clerk to the Burial Authority in the manner prescribed in Regulation 4.

The Burial Authority will keep in order all parts of the cemetery, but headstones or crosses and graves in respect of which exclusive rights of burial have been granted shall be kept in repair by the owner or relative concerned. The Burial Authority reserves the right at all times to remove wreaths on any grave space and any plants growing thereon. Only fresh or silk artificial flowers or wreaths may be placed in the cemetery. To facilitate grass cutting, flower vases should be placed at the head of the grave or on the plinth of the head stone.

Any headstone or cross not kept in order, condition and repair, which in the opinion of the Burial Authority constitutes a danger by reason of its condition, will be removed or otherwise dealt with at the discretion of the Burial Authority, provided that where the name and address of the owner or relative concerned is known to the Burial Authority three months notice of neglect or want of repair shall be given before action is taken.

The official register of graves and burials shall be kept at the office of the Clerk to the Burial Authority and shall be open for inspection by any person, by appointment with the Clerk, free of charge. A certified extract from the register of burials may be obtained on payment of a fee of £5 in respect of each burial. Application for a search to be made in the register must be accompanied by a fee of £5 in respect of each burial.

The cemetery shall be open daily from 10am until one hour before sunset. Children will only be admitted if in the care of a responsible adult. Vehicles will only be permitted at the discretion of the Burial Authority, and no dogs will be allowed except on a lead.

The attention of all persons is drawn to Regulations 17, 18 and 19, restricting the erection of memorials and it is emphasised that no order should be placed with a monumental mason before the sanction of the Burial Authority is obtained.

The Undertaker shall ensure that the portion of the Disposal Certificate to be sent to the Registrar shall be retained by the officiating Minister and that the remaining portion shall be handed to the Clerk to the Burial Authority.

THE CEMETERY, CHEDDAR ROAD, WEDMORE

TABLE OF FEES AND CHARGES

Part 1. INTERMENTS

The fees indicated for the various heads under 1 & 2 do not include the digging of the grave.

For the interment,

of the body of a stillborn child, or of a child whose age at the time of death did not exceed twelve months:

Parishioner Nil. Non-Parishioner £50.

of the body of a person whose age at the time of death exceeding twelve months:

Parishioner £84. Non-Parishioner £240.

For the interment of cremated remains,

Parishioner £96. Non-Parishioner £300.

Part 2. GRANT OF EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS OF BURIAL IN EARTHEN GRAVE

For the exclusive right of burial for a period of 100 years,

In an earthen grave 9 feet by 4 feet:

Parishioner £96. Non-Parishioner £360.

Of cremated remains in an earthen grave 12 inches by 12 inches:

Parishioner £96. Non-Parishioner £200

The fees indicated in this part include the Deed of Grant and all expenses thereof.

Part 3. MONUMENTS, GRAVESTONES and MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS

For the right to erect or place a headstone or cross on a grave:

Parishioner £72. Non-Parishioner £180.

This fee includes the first inscription. For each inscription after the first:

Parishioner £24. Non-Parishioner £ 48.

For the right to place a flat stone memorial with inscription in the Garden of Remembrance:

Parishioner £30. Non-Parishioner £60.

In pursuant of Article 3 of the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order1974 the Parish Council of Wedmore at a meeting held on the eighteenth day of February 1976 made and fixed the foregoing regulations for the management of the Cemetery at Cheddar Road, Wedmore.

The fees and charges were revised, and fixed at the Parish Council Meeting of the 18th March 2015: to take effect on 1st June 2015. An amendment on the payment of Exclusive Rights of Burial Fees to include immediate burials was agreed to take effect from 1st June 2012.